FOUR CHARGED IN BLAENAU GWENT

Four Blaenau Gwent CC members have been charged with criminal offences relating to alleged false accounting at the ...

Four Blaenau Gwent CC members have been charged with criminal offences relating to alleged false accounting at the council.

The four men, including former leader Bernard Assinder and the mayor Steve Bartlett, have been charged as part of a Gwent police investigation which has so far involved 26 councillors, half of the council's total membership.

Inquiries were continuing in relation to other allegations and files relating to these will be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, the police confirmed this week.

The matter is also the subject of a Labour Party investigation.

Blaenau Gwent said: 'The authority is concerned to learn that charges have been laid against members of the authority but hope this long-running investigation, which has been continuing for over a year, is coming to a close.

'In the meantime, the council is continuing to co-operate with the police investigation.'

The four councillors will appear before Newport magistrates on 21 December.

An LGC subscription...

...gives you access to LGCplus.com, containing an unparalleled database of tens of thousands of articles offering the news, data, guidance and case studies that councils need to withstand cuts and improve services